Top 5 things to do in Sydney!

[christiancarella]

Hi everyone,

 

Just thought I would create a thread on Sydney things to do. Name your top 5 things to do when visiting Sydney.

It will be interesting to hear everyone's ideas.:biggrin:

[tayloal]

I've enjoyed taking a trip to Ku-Ring-Gai Chase national park, great of you're into getting out and about in the countryside. Sits across the water from Palm Beach.

[Chall77]

Walk around Oxford Falls, sit on the Opera House steps (just so you know where you are!) a cold beer in the Newport Arms, a surf somewhere and BBQ with some mates.

[BenOz]

http://www.bridgeclimb.com/

[jonbclark]

Darling harbour with the kids, playground, wildlife park, aquarium (can you tell we have a merlin pass!) trip on the ferry or just sitting in a cafe drinking in the views

[northshorepom]

Go inside the Opera House on a tour or preferably for a performance - you see so much more and can really appreciate the engineering, the spaces, the acoustics and the level and variety of productions on at this excellent arts centre.

 

Take a ferry to Manly in the morning, go for a walk up/around North Head for fabulous views then drop back into town for lunch and a dip in the ocean

 

Do a pub crawl round the Rocks or in Surry Hills. Or just park yourself in a good pub when it's raining and there's a good NRL match on live

 

Go out for breakfast and soak up the cafe culture in any number of inner city suburbs. There must be hundreds of places doing excellent bacon & eggs with toasted sourdough, can't beat it

 

Get up the far end of the Northern Beaches by car or by express bus and see real life "Summer Bay" which is also spectacularly beautiful, walk up to the lighthouse on the point or take a boat trip across Pittwater to the National Park (also referenced above)

[Paul1Perth]

Go inside the Opera House on a tour or preferably for a performance - you see so much more and can really appreciate the engineering, the spaces, the acoustics and the level and variety of productions on at this excellent arts centre.

 

Take a ferry to Manly in the morning, go for a walk up/around North Head for fabulous views then drop back into town for lunch and a dip in the ocean

 

Do a pub crawl round the Rocks or in Surry Hills. Or just park yourself in a good pub when it's raining and there's a good NRL match on live

 

Go out for breakfast and soak up the cafe culture in any number of inner city suburbs. There must be hundreds of places doing excellent bacon & eggs with toasted sourdough, can't beat it

 

Get up the far end of the Northern Beaches by car or by express bus and see real life "Summer Bay" which is also spectacularly beautiful, walk up to the lighthouse on the point or take a boat trip across Pittwater to the National Park (also referenced above)

 

A bit like my list but I would add for sporty folk. A run from Woolloommooloo through the botanic gardens to the Opera House (or the other way depending on where you are staying). One of the nicest runs I have done anywhere, You wouldn't know you are near a big City for most of it. Easy and flat for the most part with beautiful views of the harbour on the way round.

 

I'll have to get round to doing the Opera house tour inside. I've been there loads of times and never got round to it.

[northshorepom]

Would go along with that. But the Bay Run (around Iron Cove) is much better in terms of more of a distance offering

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bay_Run

 

I came here on a reccie a couple of years ago, stayed in the 4 points on Sussex St and my morning run was up Kent St into the Rocks, under the bridge and drop down to the harbour, south to Circular Quay and then around from there in front of the Opera House, round the Botanic Gardens and Domain, past Boy Charlton Pool and up past the Art Gallery of NSW into the city. Stop to pick up a coffee by the QVB and walk back to Sussex St. A lovely 8k run, beaut views

[Paul1Perth]

Would go along with that. But the Bay Run (around Iron Cove) is much better in terms of more of a distance offering

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bay_Run

 

I came here on a reccie a couple of years ago, stayed in the 4 points on Sussex St and my morning run was up Kent St into the Rocks, under the bridge and drop down to the harbour, south to Circular Quay and then around from there in front of the Opera House, round the Botanic Gardens and Domain, past Boy Charlton Pool and up past the Art Gallery of NSW into the city. Stop to pick up a coffee by the QVB and walk back to Sussex St. A lovely 8k run, beaut views

 

When over on work trips I usually stay at the Holiday Inn at Potts Point so it's an ideal spot to run down to Woolloomooloo and around the botanic gardens but I have done the loop on a few occasions and carried on up the hill from the Opera House and back through the City, just for a change. Even the city is not bad, wideish pavements so you can skirt round people.

 

Don't know the Bay run course, thanks for the info. So many things to do in Sydney. I see you mention the Boy Charlton pool. Bit expensive (compared to Perth pools) but a lovely place for a swim.

[Guest The Pom Queen]

 

Get up the far end of the Northern Beaches by car or by express bus and see real life "Summer Bay" which is also spectacularly beautiful, walk up to the lighthouse on the point or take a boat trip across Pittwater to the National Park (also referenced above)

How far away from the harbour is Summer Bay, do they film there or is most of the set in a studio?

[Guest The Pom Queen]

We are going down for 3 weeks in a few weeks, whilst I won't be doing anything hubby and the boys will probably be out exploring.

If anyone is going down soon, now may be the last chance you get for the monorail before it closes for good in June.

 

Also there seems to be a number of museums including the maritime museum on the harbour.

[CAP888]

Hi everyone,

 

Just thought I would create a thread on Sydney things to do. Name your top 5 things to do when visiting Sydney.

It will be interesting to hear everyone's ideas.:biggrin:

 

1) Like below say, Ku-ring-gai National Park-lots of top spots there for bushwalking/picnics/beach boating etc, world class, and quiet..very relaxing

 

2) Go to a beach, any beach....there are even harbour beaches, and they're beautiful

 

3) Eat food, it is soooo much fresher than anything you have.

 

4) Go to the Easter Show at Homebush, its on in a few weeks !

 

5) Go to "The Basement", world class jazz club

 

Another 5

 

1) Eat at Doyles at Watsons Bay, beaut seafood !

 

2) Eat at Lotus Pond chinese restaurant inside the casino, too delicious to describe.

 

3) Walk, don't run, around the foreshores and botanic gardens.

 

4) Go to Russel Crowes home at Woolloomoloo and "moon" him ! (you could do it from Boy Charlton pool ) but be carefull dropping your dacks around there, its not far from Oxford St, if you get my meaning.

If you drop your wallet in Oxford St, kick it all the way down to George St before you bend over ...LOL

 

5) Go for a ride on the "Red Baron" plane over Sydney and surrounds.

[northshorepom]

How far away from the harbour is Summer Bay, do they film there or is most of the set in a studio?

 

They only film bits up there. The outdoor shots on the beach (that are in about 20 time an episode, always people walking along with the lighthouse in the background!) and some of the outdoor shots of the surf club

 

It's a beaut beach/area though. MILES from the harbour (about 45km?). "Express" bus L90 goes there but it takes over an hour and a half. Frequent service though:

http://www.sydneybuses.info/routes/timetables-route-maps

 

Much easier proposition for us to get there from the northern suburbs - takes me about 40 minutes to drive. There's a lovely park that runs up the spit between the two beaches - ocean and estuary side - with a great walk to the lighthouse at the top, fab views. A couple of lovely cafes/restaurants. Beaches are huge and never packed, you can also catch a boat across Pittwater to the Basin, or hire your own tinny out from a scruffy little boatyard. I love it up there

 

 

...."I could do that son, honest I could - 's easy"

[CAP888]

They only film bits up there. The outdoor shots on the beach (that are in about 20 time an episode, always people walking along with the lighthouse in the background!) and some of the outdoor shots of the surf club

 

It's a beaut beach/area though. MILES from the harbour (about 45km?). "Express" bus L90 goes there but it takes over an hour and a half. Frequent service though:

http://www.sydneybuses.info/routes/timetables-route-maps

 

Much easier proposition for us to get there from the northern suburbs - takes me about 40 minutes to drive. There's a lovely park that runs up the spit between the two beaches - ocean and estuary side - with a great walk to the lighthouse at the top, fab views. A couple of lovely cafes/restaurants. Beaches are huge and never packed, you can also catch a boat across Pittwater to the Basin, or hire your own tinny out from a scruffy little boatyard. I love it up there

 

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...."I could do that son, honest I could - 's easy"

 

 

 

Having spent roughly 48 of my 51 summers up there, I can tell you its great !

And I have had the skin cancers too prove it, but not too bad, a bit of freezing here, a bit of cutting and stitching there, but who cares, it beats the **** out of Blackpool, let me tell ya !

 

I have rescued a number of Poms up there too !

Please don't swim in the "Rips" and if you do get caught swim sideways and dont panic, its only water.

Also, swim between the flags ONLY, there are numerous beach rips and shifting sands which can make the surf dangerous, even when you know what your doing, and you could get dumped, which can be painfull.

 

Also, hate to disappoint you poms, but there isn't any "Summer Bay" !!

SHOCK Horror.

 

Its "Palm Beach" , they film at North Palm Beach.....South is great for little ones as there is a sea pool and surfclub and shops.

 

Also, if your a rich pom, you can stay at "Kalua" right opposite the beach for roughly $40,000-00 per week(I kid you not) or you can buy it, as its for sale, for AUD $26,000,000-00 ( I kid you not again) !!

 

So, don't go looking for Summer Bay, you wont find it, but you will find Palm Beach !

Or as we call it "Palmy"

Oh , and you can get there by seaplane from Rose Bay. Its a very scenic flight up the coast, and quicker than the bus, but more expensive, obviously.

 

And occasionaly you will find the little chicky babes from the TV, sunning themselves between takes on the beach, sometimes topless.

 

Also, and i'm going to regret telling you this, go to see Cottage Point, Sydneys smallest suburb, which is inside the National Park or "Nasho" as we call them.

 

There is a 150 year old converted house there that does great scones and jam and coffee, it is in a "perrrrfect" spot. And you can rent a house there....perfect isolation.. and you are on the Hawksbury river, so you can go anywhere with a boat or kayak, including "Palmy" which is a short boat ride away.

And a thousand bush walks to be had from there too !

 

Not that Im biased or anything...LOL.

 

They are my favourite places in the whole wide world, can you tell ?

[CAP888]

PS: 45 klms is not much, not when your in Australia.

I lived in London during the 90's and met an old couple from Manchester on the flight home.

They told me they had never been to London in there lives, I couldnt believe it, said it was too far.

 

Be prepared to go far here in Oz, you have to, to get to the best spots. 45 is like a drive to the shops.

 

I regularly drive from my now home in Coffs Harbour to Sydney and back, in a day, to do stuff

thats 1100 klms .

 

A mate and I went for a drive onetime, just to go holiday somewhere. So we drove, and drove, and drove.

Eventually we stopped at Cairns for a week. Thats 3000 klms, one way !

Thats a good drive, if you feel like it, but allow at least 2.5 to 3 days. I mean, all day, every day and then some.

 

Just saw your snow storm on telly. I thought it was spring there ?

I spent the arfternoon swmming with some Italian backpacker girls here in Coffs Harbour.

Its autumn now, so it was a bit chilly. 28 degrees and 21 in the water .. gotta go pick them up now for dinner, I think they need the whole experience .. Ciao

[northshorepom]

We are going down for 3 weeks in a few weeks, whilst I won't be doing anything hubby and the boys will probably be out exploring.

If anyone is going down soon, now may be the last chance you get for the monorail before it closes for good in June.

Good call, it's rubbish as a transport system but worth it for a touristy "last chance to see" type experience. Took my son on it in January for that reason

 

Also there seems to be a number of museums including the maritime museum on the harbour.

That is a good one, and free. I also like the Powerhouse if you have kids (not free), Observatory (free), Museum of Sydney (not free) and the Art Gallery of NSW (free)

[Chall77]

I used to surf up at Palmy loads and nearly crashed the car when I saw Alf Stewart. He even tipped his hat and said, 'G'day!'

[northshorepom]

Should've called him a flamin' galah!

[MichaelP]

1. Breakfast at Bronte cafe followed by walk via Tamarama to Bondi.

2. Swim at the Macallum outdoor pool at Cremorne with the best harbour views.

3. Saturday morning shopping at Flemington veg market followed by noodles at a local Chinese or Vietnamese restaurant.

4. Coffee at Campos, Newtown, any time.

5. Do a bushwalk - either walk up to Barrenjoey near Palm Beach or walk down (and back up) the cliff track at Wentworth Falls.

[christiancarella]

Thanks to everyone for their responses. There are some particularly interesting ideas. What about things off the beaten track........ Does anyone know of some cool but lesser known places or hidden secrets? in Sydney?

[cancan987]

Cottage point should be on everyone's to do list....